[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 96 (Wednesday, July 11, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7483-S7484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COMMENDING GARY SISCO FOR HIS SERVICE AS SECRETARY OF THE SENATE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 127, which is at the 
desk, and ask that the resolution be read in total.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 127) commending Gary Sisco for his 
     service as Secretary of the Senate:

                              S. Res. 127

       Whereas, Gary Sisco faithfully served the Senate of the 
     United States as the 29th Secretary of the Senate from the 
     104th to the 107th Congress, and discharged the difficult 
     duties and responsibilities of that office with unfailing 
     dedication and a high degree of competence and efficiency; 
     and
       Whereas, as an elected officer, Gary Sisco has upheld the 
     high standards and traditions of the United States Senate and 
     extended his assistance to all Members of the Senate; and
       Whereas, through his exceptional service and professional 
     integrity as an officer of the Senate of the United States, 
     Gary Sisco has earned the respect, trust, and gratitude of 
     his associates and the Members of the Senate: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes the notable 
     contributions of Gary Sisco to the Senate and to his Country 
     and expresses to him its deep appreciation for his faithful 
     and outstanding service, and extends its very best wishes in 
     his future endeavors.
       Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to Gary Sisco.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 127) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I wanted the entire resolution to be read in 
the Record because I did want a complete record of the appreciation of 
the entire Senate for Gary Sisco who has served so capably over the 
past 5 years as the Secretary of the Senate.
  I appreciate Senator Daschle joining me for this time because he 
knows, as I know, that we have some very dedicated officers of the 
Senate and other employees of our floor staff who put in long hours and 
do a great job in making this institution function the way it should. 
We do not say thank you enough to those who serve in the Chamber with 
us who make it possible for us to do our job, and we do not say thank 
you enough to the officers of the Senate, people such as the Secretary 
of the Senate, the Sergeant at Arms, the Chaplain, and others who work 
every day to help make this place function.
  I have a very personal warm feeling for Gary Sisco. He is from 
Tennessee. He was born in Bolivar, TN, a small town. He grew up in 
strictly a blue-collar family. I believe his father did serve for a 
period of time as sheriff in that county in Tennessee.
  I got to know him way back in, I guess, 1962 or 1963 at the 
University of Mississippi. We became friends. I managed to even talk 
him into joining the fraternity to which I belonged. We developed a 
very close friendship.
  He wound up having a blind date with his now wife, thanks to the 
arrangement of my wife. Mary Sue Sisco is from Pascagoula, MS.
  He went on to work with IBM after graduation and was involved in 
gubernatorial campaigns in Tennessee. He served Gov. Lamar Alexander, 
and then wound up in Washington and worked for Congressman Robin Beard 
as his administrative assistant. He worked for Howard Baker reaching 
the position of executive assistant. He then returned to Tennessee and 
had a very successful business life.
  Five years ago, I called on him and said: We need somebody who 
understands computers, somebody who understands how to manage a pretty 
good size operation, somebody who knows how to keep the books straight, 
somebody who has political instinct and knows and loves the Senate. You 
are the man.
  He left his business in Nashville, TN, and came to Washington and has 
been in the position of Secretary of the Senate for 5 years. He has 
done a wonderful job.
  The only thing I ever asked of him was: Gary, when we have a few 
things

[[Page S7484]]

that need to be changed, need to be approved, let's just make sure when 
you leave and I leave the position I am in, it is better than it was 
when we got here.
  I believe Gary Sisco has achieved that goal. To show you the kind of 
man he is, Senator Daschle had agreed, frankly, that the officers of 
the Senate could stay on through this session of Congress, even though 
the majority might change. So I know he would have kept his word and 
Gary could have stayed, but he submitted his resignation, and I agreed 
that I think the majority leader should have officers of the Senate of 
his selection. It was the right thing to do, but it was his idea; it 
was not mine.
  Senator Daschle has been very gracious in the way he has treated the 
employees in the Office of the Secretary of the Senate. He has selected 
an outstanding, capable, experienced person and one who also 
understands the Senate very well, Jeri Thomson. I know she will 
continue the great legacy Gary Sisco has built.
  To my colleagues in the Senate, I thank them all for the courtesies 
and support they have given to Gary Sisco, and I wish my friend the 
very best in his next career.

  Some of us, as Senator Daschle and myself, have been in the Congress 
for many, many years now, in my case 28 years. I have to confess, in a 
way, I am a little envious of a guy who was in the business sector, in 
the political arena, in the congressional arena, back in the business 
world, back in the Senate arena, and is now going out to the next stage 
of his life. I am sure it will be an outstanding one.
  I, again, extend my best wishes to Gary Sisco, his wife Mary Sue, and 
their children. I know they will always have a special feeling in their 
hearts for the Senate, and I believe the Senate also has that feeling 
for them.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, first, I compliment the distinguished 
minority leader on his remarks. I appreciate very much the opportunity 
to address the resolution this afternoon.
  Five years ago, Gary Sisco came to Washington and came to the job as 
Secretary of the Senate with the full confidence of then-majority 
leader Trent Lott. Today he leaves the Senate, leaves his job as 
Secretary of the Senate, having earned the full confidence of now-
majority leader Tom Daschle.
  That did not just happen because he had the title. It happened 
because he worked at it. It happened because, in spite of the long 
tradition that he had of working for very able Members of the Senate on 
the Republican side in the Senate and the House and Governor, he came 
leaving his Republican credentials at home. He came working with us as 
Democrats and Republicans, equally serving his country and serving this 
institution as ably as anyone can.
  As Senator Lott has noted, the mark of a good and able public servant 
is one who leaves his job in a better position than when he came. I can 
say without equivocation Gary Sisco has met that test. It has been my 
pleasure to work with him. I have come to admire him and respect him, 
and I also respect the position he has taken with regard to this 
particular resignation.
  I confirm exactly what Senator Lott has just noted, that because of 
my respect, not only for Senator Lott but for Gary Sisco and the 
Sergeant at Arms, it was my view, in keeping the continuity of the 
officers of the Senate, as well as because they were serving us so 
well, they had every right and could have every expectation that 
regardless of what may happen to the majority in the Senate, they would 
have the full confidence and have the full support of both caucuses for 
the duration of this Congress.
  Gary Sisco has made his decision, and I respect it, but I do so with 
a great deal of appreciation. I do so with the hope that he will come 
back often. I do so with a realization that in this business we get to 
work with quality people, people who give back to their country, to 
their community, and to each of us in ways that I think is admirable. 
He has done so. Our country owes him a debt of gratitude. This Senate 
owes him a debt of gratitude.
  On behalf of our caucus, I thank him for all he has given us. I yield 
the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, again, I thank Senator Daschle for coming to 
the Chamber and making that statement, and I look forward to working 
with him and the new Secretary of the Senate to continue the very 
efficient and fine way the Senate has been conducted, in the way the 
Office of the Secretary of the Senate has been run. I know she will do 
a great job.
  Mr. President, I do not know who is controlling the time now, but I 
want to be yielded time to speak against the pending amendment.
  Several Senators addressed the Chair.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, will the majority leader yield for 1 
minute to comment on Mr. Sisco?
  Mr. LOTT. I will be happy to do so.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader is recognized.
  Mr. LOTT. I yield to Senator Sessions from Alabama.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I thank the Republican leader and the 
Democratic leader and others for their kind comments about Gary Sisco.
  In short, he is one of the finest people I know. He served the Senate 
with great integrity, ability, and fidelity. He has a wonderful family, 
high personal values, the kind of person you like to know, like to call 
your friend, you want to have in your home. He has served so well, and 
he leaves with grace and style quite in harmony with his whole 
lifestyle. I thank Senator Lott for raising this point, and I join in 
his compliments.
  Mr. LOTT. I believe the time has been off the leader time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.

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